Amalgamator



Nn. 6||,346. Patented Sept. 27, I898.

l. ANDERSON:

AMALGAMATOB.

(Application filed. May 15, 1897 (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet I.

ITITITTTQTMM W HIJGSSZS No. 6ll,346. Patented Sept. 2 7, [898.

- l. ANDERSON.

AMALGAMATUR.

(Application filed Kay 15, 1897.) Modem 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

- l .Zruienmzz/ W ilgessas W kw 92mm? THE seams FETiRS cc. PHOTO-LUNG" WASHINGTON. u. c.,

ISAAC ANDERSON, OF VULOAN, COLORADO.

AMALGAMATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 611,346, dated September 2'7, 1898.

Application filed May 15, 1897.

T0 aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ISAAC ANDERSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Vulcan, in the county of Gunnison and State of (3010- rado, have invented a new and useful Amalgamator, of which the following is a specification. 7

This invention relates to certain improvements in amalgamators such as are employed for extracting precious metals from sand, gravel, ores, pulp,'and the like wherein the metals are contained; and the object of the invention is'to provide a device of this character of a simple and inexpensive nature, which shall be adapted to act on the materials to be treated in such a Way as to save a large percentage of the precious metals present therein.

With these ends in view the invention consists in the novel combination of elements and in the construction and arrangement of parts, which will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In order that myimprovements may be the better understood, I have shown in the accompanying drawings an amalgamator constructed in accordance with my invention, in which Figure-l is a perspective View showing the improved device, and Fig.2 is a sectional view taken longitudinally through the apparatus and showing themeans for extracting the precious metals from the materials to be treated. Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken vertically throughthe apparatus in the plane indicated by the line a, a in Fig. 2; and Fig. 4 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 8, but taken in the plane indicated by the line b b in Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is afragmentary view drawn to an enlarged scale and showing the means for holding the screen in position at the discharge end of the amalgamating-drum. I

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates the base or platform, upon which is constructed the supporting-framework, comprising standards oruprights 2, upon which the amalgamating devices are mounted. As shown in the drawings, these amalgamating devices consist of two drums 3 and 4, the drum 3 being the amalgamator proper. This drum 3 is preferably smaller; but each is constructed with a central cylindrical body portion hav- Serial No, 636,688. (No model.)

volve therewith. I In the outer extremities of the radial partitions 20 are formed cup-shaped concavities or pockets 21, in which are adapted to be contained balls or equivalent moving bodies 23, formed of copper, tin, or other suit able material, having their exterior surfaces amalgamated to collect the small particles of gold or silver and retain them from the un desired portions of the materials under treatment. To prevent the amalgamating-bodies from passing out of the drum while in operation, a screen 22,0f foraminous material, is provided at the exit end of the cylindrical portion of the drum. -This screen is clamped between a flange 28 on the cylindrical body portion and a flange 26 on the removable conioal end portion 25, the bolts 27 for-holding the removable conical end to the main body passing through and tightly clamping the screen between the said flanges. The inner trunnion of the amalgamating-drum, forming the exit therefrom, enters Within the trunnion of the larger or concentrating drum 4, thus presenting no shoulders or obstructions for the free passage of the materials under treatment. l

The concentrator 4 is preferablylarger than the amalgamating-drum, as clearly shown in the drawings, and is provided with a series of radial arms 7, extending from side to side of the cylindrical body portion thereof. These arms or beaters serve to break up or disintegrate the material and cause the precious metals which have escaped from the amalgamating-drum to settle to the bottom of the concentrator. with one or more openings closed by a screwcap 24, whereby the interior of the drums may be reached for purposes of cleaning or repairing.

In order to impart the necessary motion to the device, I mount upon the framework a Each of the drums is provided shaft 15,parallel with the amalgamating-drum and alongside thereof, having on its outer end a crank or pulley wheel 16 and at its other end a gear-wheel 17, which is adapted to-mesh with a similar gear 18, mounted upon the inner trunnion 5 of the amalgamating-drum. In a similar relation to the concentrator 4 is mounted a shaft 11, having at its central portion a crank 10 and provided at its inner extremity with a crank-arm 12, connected by a pitman 13 with a crank-arm 14 on the inner end of the shaft 15. The concentrator is operated from the shaft 11 by means of a connecting-rod 9, extending from the crank 10 to a bail or bracket 8 upon the concentrator.

Although not illustrated in the drawings,

I prefer to mount the device upon an incline, slanting slightly downward from the entrance to the exit end thereof, to aid in the passage of the materials under treatment through the device.

In operation the materials should first be screened fine enough to pass through the screen 22 at the exit end of the amalgamating-drum. After thus being screened the materials are fed into the device through the feed-hopper 6, entering the amalgamating drum 3, to which a rotary motion is applied from the crank or pulley 16 through the connecting-gearing. WVhile being revolved, the materials in the several pockets are scattered about, and,contactin g with the amalgamatingbodies, the precious metals are caught and retained thereby, and the remaining parts pass through the screen 22 into the concentratingdrum. This drum is rocked back and forth by the cranks 10 and 14 and the connectingrods 9 and 13, as will be readily understood. By this rocking motion the materials are further broken up or disintegrated, causing the precious metals to sink to the bottom by reason of their specific gravity, and the residue will pass out through the exit-trunnion of the concentrator.

From the above description it will be seen that the improved amalgamator is of an extremely simple and inexpensive nature and is especially well adapted for the purposes for which it is designed, and it will also be obvious from the above description that the invention is capable of considerable modification without material departure from its principles and spirit, and for this reason I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the precise form and arrangement of the several parts herein set forth.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- 1. In an amalgamator and concentrator, the combination of a rotary amalgamator-drum, an oscillating concentrator-drum movable independently of the amalgamator-drum and arranged substantially in alinement therewith to have one end communicate axially with the amalgamator-drum and provided at its other end with an axial exit-opening, a series of freely-movable amalgamated bodies confined within the amalgamator-drum against escape therefrom into the concentrator-drum, and a series of beaters fixed Within the concentratordrum to partake of the motion thereof and arranged to intercept the ore as it passes through the drum,whereby the ore is subjected to treatment continuously as it passes through the drums by the amalgamated bodies and the beaters and the desired particles are retained in the bottom of the oscillating. concentratordrum While the refuse is discharged from its axial exit, substantially as described.

2. In an amalgamator and concentrator, the combination of an amalgamator-drum carrying a series of freely movable amalgamated bodies, a concentrator-drum connected axially with the amalgamator-drum to receive therefrom and having an axial outlet, a series of beaters fixed to the concentrator-drum to partake of the motion thereof and arranged to intercept the ore as it traverses the drum, and a driving mechanism geared to the amal gamator-drum to rotate the latter and having link connections with the concentrator-drum to oscillate the same independently of the motion of the amalgamator-drum, substantially as described.

3. In an amalgamator, a rotary drum having conical end sections clamped to the cy lindrical body thereof and forming axial inlet and egress openings for said drum, combined with a series of radial partitions fixed Within the cylindrical body of the drum, a series of amalgamated bodies within the compartments formed by the radial partitions, and a transverse screen clamped within the drum and situated between the ore-outlet and the partitions, against the delivery ends of the latter, substantially as described.

4:. In an amalgamator, an amalgamatordrum provided with a removable conical section at its delivery end and with an inlet at the opposite end, a series of radial partitions fixed within the drum at one side of the conical delivery-section, a screen clamped between the drum and its delivery-section to be confined in fixed relation adjacent to the ra dial partitions, and freely-movable amalgamated bodies loosely confined within compartments formed by the radial partitions and prevented from moving into the delivery-sec tion of the drum by said screen, as and for the purposes described.

5. In an amalgamator, the amalgamator drum having a series of radial partitions each bent to form a depression or pocket near the line where the partition joins with the drum, a screen between the partitions and the delivery end of the drum, and a series of freelymovable amalgamated bodies confined in the compartments formed by the radial partitions and by the screen, said bodies adapted to occupy the pockets or depressions in said partitions and to be carried upward thereby as the drum is rotated, as and for the purposes described.

6. In an amalgamator, an amalgamating IOC IIC

: o erative connections between the driving-shaft and the crank-shaft, substantially as de scribed, for the purposes set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ISAAC ANDERSON.

\Vitnesses:

M. M. DUNBAR, J. T. CLAYTON. 

